Archives for April 2010

Throughout the varying stages of our careers, as practicing dermatologists, product developers, entrepreneurs and businesswomen, time and again, we have experienced our greatest successes when we allowed ourselves to be guided by our passion, particularly when that meant “doing it better by thinking outside the box.”

One hundred and forty billion gallons. According to the U.S. Energy Administration’s most recent numbers, that’s how much gasoline Americans use annually. Aside from the huge costs to consumers, this staggering number also affects the environment. As consumption continues to rise, more and more harmful chemicals are emitted into the atmosphere.

When the unique little company from Idaho burst onto the direct selling scene in July 2004, who could have predicted that Scentsy’s far-from-spectacular start would almost instantly transform into such a scent-illating story? Certainly not its founders.

The founders of 4Life Research will tell you that through science, they make successful distributors, who are then better able to commit themselves to works of service in this world.

A time to reflect, a time to evaluate and a time to celebrate! This month will be a very special one for us as we announce the results of our research—identifying the top 100 direct selling companies in the world—at our inaugural DSN Global 100 Celebration on April 7. We contracted experienced researchers for this project, and their findings will provide us with, to the best of our knowledge, the first such recognition ever published. We embraced this project to respond to questions that often arise from within the academic and private investment communities who watch our industry and our companies for potential involvement. Every other recognized industry ranks its companies, so we felt it was our responsibility to do the same for direct selling.

The annual Edelman Trust Barometer is always a compelling read for me. This international survey assesses the level of trust in business and government by “informed publics” around the world. Given various high-profile financial scandals and the fragility of global markets over the past few years, there has been a lot to assess in the area of trust—or lack thereof. What I find interesting, though, is the unspoken affirmation of the direct selling business model that the results of the survey seem to indicate each year.

I’ve been saying it for years: Take responsibility for your finances or take orders for the rest of your life. That pretty much sums up your economic choice. Taking responsibility is the difference between being rich and being poor. You’re either a master of money or a slave to money.

Today’s marketplace is tough. It’s competitive, faster than ever and the stakes are high. In today’s ultracompetitive world, getting superior results faster is absolutely critical to success! So many want it! However, this hectic speed of life makes it easy to become sidetracked by things that steal priorities and make leaders less effective. People are hungry for ways to get ahead, to win and to accelerate results, both personally and professionally.

Direct selling companies are realizing that cause marketing can make a big difference in the bottom line.